Chapter 454
“Can you calm down a bit?”
As tears slipped down Jin’s chin, Ian gently wiped them away with a handkerchief.
Outside, the noise still lingered, but the reception room where the two sat was utterly silent. The murmurs felt like they were separated by a single wall, dividing two worlds. Thanks to that, Jin could shed the dignified image of the crown prince and reveal the face of a ten-year-old child.
“This is truly outrageous, Lord Ian. What on earth did you do without a single word? Everyone was shocked when they heard I was dead.”
“I apologize. To activate the spell cast on Eriphony, some effort was necessary. I thought my death alone would suffice, but it wasn’t enough for her. Only after involving Your Highness did the arrow return.”
“Did Eriphony herself shoot the arrow during the war?”
“Yes. Do you remember a girl named Zaira among the mages naturalized from Luswena? She’s about the same age as Your Highness.”
“I know her—the one with black hair.”
“Exactly. She sacrificed half of her remaining life to exact revenge. To facilitate negotiations, it was necessary for the king to be absent, like in Burgos. However, if Bariel intervened directly, Luswena—with its strong claim to legitimacy—might resist, complicating effective governance.”
Ian raised an eyebrow as if checking if Jin understood, continuing to wipe the tears away until Jin gently took his hand.
“Though Zaira was naturalized, her origin is Luswena. The spell was cast then. Since it was a Luswena mage who effectively caused her own death, Luswena cannot easily protest. Nor can they recklessly oppose Bariel.”
“What if the newly crowned king of Luswena maintains an anti-Bariel stance?”
“That won’t be easy. Many mages have defected here, and we hold the king’s body. If he claims legitimacy and ascends the throne, he’ll have to negotiate actively with Bariel, which holds Eriphony’s remains. If he denies legitimacy, he’ll need to convince many citizens, and the timing isn’t right.”
“Eldert. Earlier, it seemed like he had some thoughts.”
“Yes. It was surprising he was troubled, but in the end, he won’t participate in the meeting and will return.”
Then we just need to focus pressure on Burgos to lead the negotiations. The standards applied to Burgos will also apply to Luswena.
Jin moved his lips briefly and relayed the decisions made in the meeting.
“Lord Ian.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Go to Clifford.”
Go to Clifford, achieve everything you want, and come back.
Ian smiled brightly at Jin’s resolve. It hadn’t taken long for the child to make up his mind, but this decision itself marked his growth.
Ian bowed deeply, sincerely grateful.
“I am truly honored by your permission, Your Highness.”
“Before that, I have something to ask.”
“…You mean about your relationship with Rutherford?”
“I know about your childhood connection and the creation of Idgal. But I never expected a master-servant relationship.”
The empire was about to officially declare Rutherford an enemy, given his involvement in the rebellion. Though Vania’s testimony was shocking enough to cause some hesitation, it had firmly settled in the minds of Bariel’s officials.
A minister serving a master who took part in a rebellion? Impossible. Especially for Jin.
“I don’t know either. It seems bound by a contract spell, but now I live not for Rutherford, but for Bariel. I swear this to God.”
Not for Jin, but for Bariel. Surprisingly, Jin found that more trustworthy. After all, he himself ultimately lived for Bariel.
Perhaps sensing that Ian, who seemed to look elsewhere, still shared a common purpose, Jin wiped the tear stains with the back of his hand.
“Before Vania’s testimony gains more weight, Lord Ian, it’s best you leave as you wish. Otherwise, Hielo will be in danger too. There must be a safe place where Philia and those who follow you can live peacefully.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Thank you for your concern. I will go down to Clifford briefly to handle the situation and set things right. Then, when I return here, I hope to come back with a smile.”
“…As I said, a separate building for the Magic Department will be constructed. So, please return as soon as possible, Lord Ian. Bariel needs you.”
“I need Bariel as well.”
Jin and Ian clasped hands tightly, exchanging a look. Now they knew: no matter how much the outside world shook, their trust was unbreakable. Ian saw Jin as history itself, and Jin saw Ian as family. One was a vast wave; the other, the air that filled life.
Jin smiled faintly and murmured.
“And when you return—”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Let’s all go out and play beyond the palace again. Beric, Sia, Romandro—all of us together.”
He wished for the time when he could call him ‘brother’ once more.
Ian smiled in response, gently patting the back of the child’s hand before rising at a report from outside.
Knock, knock.
“Your Highness, the Luswena delegation has decided to leave the palace.”
The atmosphere in the palace was tense. More precisely, the delegations from Clifford and Burgos wore unprecedentedly anxious expressions.
The king of Luswena, a major kingdom, had suddenly died during the negotiation break. Though it was a consequence of the war, the situation naturally instilled fear in the delegation.
Meanwhile, Bariel was abuzz with whispers stirred by Vania’s statements, but no one could offer a clear answer, and only noise filled the air.
Creak.
“The Crown Prince is entering.”
As Jin entered to resume the negotiations, the grand hall fell silent. Ian slipped in discreetly through another door. Though people tried to act indifferent, all eyes were on the two.
“Before we proceed, I’m sure everyone has heard.”
Jin gestured for everyone to sit and slowly delivered the grim news. The vast hall’s empty seats on the Luswena side stood out starkly.
“King Eriphony passed away suddenly, so the delegations have hurriedly left the palace to return home. The negotiations will continue without disruption. The Luswena delegation unanimously agreed that there will be no veto on decisions made here. The terms applied to Burgos will also apply equally to Luswena. Please keep this in mind when stating your positions. Furthermore, let me be clear: Bariel bears no responsibility for King Eriphony’s death, and we sincerely mourn his passing.”
Foreign delegates rolled their eyes in disbelief. Didn’t a previously unseen arrow suddenly appear and pierce her heart? There were many mages around. Yet Bariel claimed no involvement. It was an unbelievable assertion.
Sensing this, the prime minister added,
“If anyone doubts the cause of King Eriphony’s death, please raise your hand without hesitation. We will show the body. If you have the ability, you will see that Bariel’s mages had nothing to do with it.”
Clifford had no mages, and Burgos had no means to verify immediately. The only reliable testimony was Vania’s, who had been at the scene from start to finish.
When the Burgos delegation asked suspiciously, Vania answered cautiously, almost like ventriloquism.
“It seems King Luswena tried to poison Lord Ian. He wanted to involve Burgos, but something went wrong. Lord Ian, thought dead, was not.”
“Poisoned?”
“He collapsed right after drinking tea.”
Since the dead cannot speak, they could only guess from the circumstances. Even if Bariel had killed Eriphony, what problem would there be? He was a defeated king. Like Damon, silenced and shackled, unable to protest.
The prime minister, seeing the tension ease, struck the gavel.
Bang! Bang!
“We will continue the negotiations. King of Clifford.”
The king of Clifford rose from his seat, still guarded by Mei. Replacing Noah, who was under a curse, she was proving to be a capable right hand to the king.
The prime minister continued.
“We acknowledge the damage caused by the rift and fully understand the difficulties. As requested, we will support magic under the leadership of Minister Ian Hielo of the Magic Department. Additionally, we will arrange for various supplies and goods needed for reconstruction to accompany you on your return. Does Clifford agree to transfer the right to claim damages to Bariel?”
“We agree.”
With the king of Clifford’s answer, energy returned among the delegations. Ian is coming! The Clifford delegates patted each other’s shoulders, smiling.
They had passed the most critical hurdle in the negotiations. With Ian here—the genius mage—they could not only manage the rift but also restore the glory of the vineyards. Perhaps they would even find a way to lift the curse.
“Ian is going to Clifford?”
“What does that mean? He’s going as a minister, so he won’t be leaving the Magic Department?”
“Probably not.”
“Wait, which is more urgent—Lord Ian stepping down as Minister of Magic, or entering the Rift?”
“Obviously, entering the Rift is the priority!”
“If we go to Clifford, the Rift is right there in front of us. Do you think Ian will just stand still? Huh?”
“Ah.”
The ones most shocked by the royal decision weren’t Clifford or Burgos—it was the Ministry of Magic. They tried to protest, each ready to voice their objections, but Ian’s resolute gaze stopped them cold.
‘Shh.’
Since this was the Crown Prince’s decree, no one was to question it. Ian made that clear.
The wizards sought out Romandro, but even he was at a loss. He pressed his forehead in frustration and simply looked to Jin. Surely Jin wouldn’t let Ian go… but it seemed the Ministry’s stance and the palace’s interests were worlds apart.
Silently, the Prime Minister ignored the Ministry’s unrest, raised a hand to give an order, and soon a bureaucrat brought forth a lengthy parchment.
“Sign below in the name of the King and affix your seal. You will have ample time to review.”
Watching this, Jin turned his gaze toward Burgos.
The moment had come. The deal between Bariel and Clifford had been whispered about behind closed doors, and it was mutually beneficial.
But the upcoming negotiations with Burgos would clearly divide the parties into dominant and subordinate roles.
“If Bariel demands compensation, here are the terms for Burgos.”
Especially for Burgos, who had their king captured and needed to buy time until Rutherford’s arrival, this would be a harsh battle.
“Burgos must depose King Damon, who instigated the war, and install a new leader. Throughout this process, Bariel’s opinions must be actively considered, and during the interregnum, Bariel-appointed officials shall manage state affairs to ensure stability. Furthermore, the military must be officially disbanded, and the five key border cities adjacent to Bariel shall be ceded to Bariel’s control.”
The Burgos delegation exhaled deeply through clenched lips. This was tantamount to the dissolution of their nation—no army, no king, and loss of territory, completely undermining their legitimacy.
At this, Vania cautiously rose and raised her hand.
“Representative Vania, you may speak.”
Watching calmly was Damon. He bit down on his severed tongue tip, causing himself pain—anything to suppress the boiling rage inside.